Many Questions - Few Answers
by robsmith

Comment:
This almost looks like a tv screen shot with the grain. It does leave questions in the mind, but the overall quality of the shot is lacking some, to me.

Hill 88
by MrBlandAverage

Comment:
very mysterious, and i like the composition and how the platform things balance each other, but it is just a touch dark, I think.

Uh Oh !
by kopa21

Comment:
I can only imagine what just happened! (Uh Oh is my 18 mos. son's favorite phrase right now!). It is a little too centered, I think, but I do like the expression on the face there!

No title
by hortopth

Comment:
So simple, yet effective, I think. This shot leaves me wondering about a variety of things, so you have met the challenge well.

Why God...why now?
by K-Rob

Comment:
Great use of shallow depth of field. Also leaves me wondering about the "rest of the story" which makes it an effective shot for this challenge.

Daydream
by crabappl3

Comment:
This shot is so awesome. I assume it is "set up" (meaning you told the "models" how to look, etc.) but even so, it looks natural. The girl on the far right, the one with the sponge bob hat makes this shot what it is. Great work!!!!!! 10

Cheers
by Roseytone

Comment:
Aw geez, now I have that song in my head!!

"Sometimes you wanna go, where everybody knows your name . ...."

I like the reflection in the sign though.

Lunch Break
by KING

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

Nice shot for Country Life. The horse looks so relaxed (though I seldom see horses looking any other way), and I think the simplicity of the shot works very well.

I like the vertical crop on this, as I think the green "negative space" at the top does an effective job of directing attention to the horse. It might be a bit tight on the left and right, but it is balanced and doesn't leave the viewer feeling like something was left out.

The colors are very nice. I like the contrast with the coloring of the horse, and the green grass. The focus is a bit soft, can you adjust it in camera? If not, perhaps a slightly larger aperture value or slower shutter speed would help (provided the horse doesn't move!)

Best to you in future challenges, and if you have questions or comments, please feel free to PM me.

karmat

Stock loading ramp
by brentg3

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

The first thing I noticed about this shot was the beautiful deep, rich colors you have captured. It appears to be early morning, or dusk, but that could just be the "darkness," of the photo. I think if you could have done just one of a couple of things and made it a little lighter, so that more of the details would have "shown" through. a) bump ISO to 100. May add a touch of grain, but I don't know that it would have been noticeable. b) One or two stops lower on the aperture c) a notch or two slower on the shutter speed.

The composition is good in that the chute helps to "anchor" the shot and give the picture a feeling of stability without seeming stagnant. I do find myself wanting to see over it and into the horizon more. I don't know if it would have been possible to have a higher perspective, but that may have added to the shot, if you could have.

Good work, and I hope to see more in future challenges. If you have questions, comments, etc. please feel free to PM me. Best to you.

karmat

country pineapple
by watermelon_junkie

Comment:
CRITIQUE CLUB CRITIQUE
by karmat

Because the pineapple is the symbol for hospitality, and because you often see replication of them around plantations/farm houses, etc., here in the Southern US, I can see your link to the challenge, albeit a strenuous one. :-)

The composition of your photo looks balanced and well framed. The two forms of the pineapple help to balance each side and give the eyes somewhere to rest, while still providing "movement" in the image. Also, I like the contrasting angles of what I assume is "greenery" in the image.

What I cannot comment on are the technical aspects of the image, such as focus, lighting, etc. Though this is a valid effect to use, it does tend to make it more of a digital image than a photograph, which does not typically do well on here. I, for one, find it interesting, but can't help but wonder if you were trying to disguise a really, really, really bad picture. I looked at your profile, and I just assume you like this style. That's fine.

Best to you in future challenges.

karmat